2 more Madhya Pradesh farmers end life

Bhopal: Two more debt-ridden farmers have committed suicide in Madhya Pradesh in the past 24 hours, taking the toll to 16.

Babu Lal Verma (40), resident of Randhal in Hosangabad district, was admitted in a government hospital on June 16 with 60 per cent burn injuries following the self-immolation attempt, allegedly to escape harassment by his money lender. He succumbed to burn injuries on Monday night, Dahat (rural) police said.

Family members of the deceased said he borrowed Rs 7 lakh from a local moneylender, who was putting pressure on him to repay the loan for the past several days.Unable to bear harassment, the farmer pour kerosene and set himself on fire on June 16.  “A case of abetment to suicide will be registered against the money lender,” police said.

In another incident of farmer suicide, Laxmi Gumsta (65), resident of Dhamna village of Narasinghpur district, committed suicide by consuming poison in his house on Tuesday.

His family said he took  Rs 4 lakh loan from a bank. He went into depression following crop failure and later took the extreme step.